Western Daily Press (Saturday)
Joe’s joy at dancing for his granny on ‘Strictly’
STRICTLY Come Dancing star Joe Sugg has spoken of his joy at being able to perform in front of his grandmother at a famous ballroom where she danced herself – more than half a century ago.
Sugg, from Lacock in Wiltshire, will dance at Blackpool’s Tower Ballroom on the BBC One show tonight.
The venue, designed by Frank Matcham, was completed in 1898 and opened the following year.
The 27-year-old YouTuber, whose grandmother Phyllis took to the famous sprung floor in the 1940s, said he was looking forward to the experience of dancing there for her.
Phyllis, 96, suffers hip pain and is not normally able to travel long distances.
However, she has promised to make the trip of more than 200 miles from Wiltshire, where she lives, to support Sugg and his professional partner Dianne Buswell for the first time on the show.
He said: “She doesn’t really move very well. She’s in her chair a lot of the time and she’s got really bad hips, but she has agreed that she will come up and watch me.
“She’s been so proud, so supportive of me the whole way. She loves it, especially the ballroom stuff. If I could do a ballroom dance in Blackpool that would be really, really nice for her.
“I feel like I must have picked up something from my nan because she gave it a go when she was younger and must have been good at it, having danced in Blackpool.”
Sugg, who originally trained as a roof thatcher, also revealed that he was planning to sneak off to Blackpool’s famous arcades if he had a spare moment.
He said: “When I was growing up, I loved arcades and I’ve heard it’s a big seaside town and I’ve seen so many photographs of those little two pence slot machines.
“That’s my favourite thing to do, so if I get any spare time when I’m up there that’s where I’m going to be heading. I’m going to win about five pounds in two pence coins. Two carrier bags full.”